Israeli forces intercept Gaza-bound aid flotilla in international waters VIDEO

Amid heightened tensions in the Middle East centred on Iran, Israeli forces intercepted an aid flotilla bound for the Gaza Strip in international waters, according to statements from the group organising the mission.

In posts published on the social media platform X, the Global Sumud Flotilla said that military speedboats identifying themselves as “Israel” approached the convoy. According to the flotilla, personnel aboard the speedboats pointed assault weapons at those on board and instructed them to move to the front of their vessel.

“Israeli military boats have illegally surrounded the flotilla in international waters and threatened kidnapping and violence,” the flotilla said in another post.

Flotilla spokesperson Gur Tsabar told CNN that no detentions had been confirmed as of the time of reporting. He said contact with Israeli forces was first made at 8:47 p.m. Greece time (1:47 p.m. ET), approximately 671 miles from Israel.

Israeli Navy vessels reportedly approached and fired warning shots at one of the vessels of the Global Sumud Flotilla, about 80–100 nautical miles south of Kalamata, Greece pic.twitter.com/Yx8Qsphd5h

— VolgaLad (@cym27s) April 29, 2026

Israel’s Foreign Ministry, also posting on X, said it had boarded what it described as a “PR stunt flotilla” and claimed that “condoms and drugs” were found on board. The flotilla’s spokesperson rejected the allegation, calling both the claim and an accompanying video “misinformation,” and said the footage was not related to the vessels in question.

Video recorded from inside one of the flotilla’s ships shows a radio transmitting a message from a voice identifying itself as the Israeli navy.

“Please change your course and return to your port of origin,” it says.

The environmental organisation Greenpeace confirmed that its affiliated vessel, the Arctic Sunrise, received the same radio warning. Greenpeace added that communication with several flotilla vessels was subsequently lost after channels were jammed.

The flotilla had departed from Barcelona on April 12, describing its mission as a “carefully structured civilian intervention at a moment of escalating violence and humanitarian crisis,” according to its official website.

The Global Sumud Flotilla has made previous attempts to deliver aid to Gaza. In October of last year, Israeli forces intercepted a similar mission, boarding vessels and detaining hundreds of participants, including Swedish activist Greta Thunberg.

By Tamilla Hasanova